Crate BV120H Blue Voodoo

2 channels. If this had a 3rd channel that was truely clean, or even a switch for channel 1 that would clean it up, it would get a 10.
Effects loop, including the ability to toggle effects loop off and on which is a nice feature.

All tube.

I purchased this used. I have not opened it up to see what kind of tubes are in there yet, but this thing sounds better than identical crates in the store (which I only would give an 8). I could not be happier. I am using an ibanez s470 with stock pups and a jackson js30 also with stock pups.

The amp is a little noisy on the high gain channel with everything pushed all the way, but it is not bad at all and I can live with it.

The "clean" channel gets dirty pretty quickly and I don't think it is designed for much clean use, but for rhythem and blues stuff the tone is awesome. For my clean though, I will be running through a solid state amp as I am usually happier with solid state clean.

This amp has enough distortion for almost anybody, including metallica, megadeth, pantera...etc. If you really need more, just put a booster in front of; I picked up an ibanez ts7 for $25 on ebay, and it works well with this amp, although I do not find much need for it myself.

I do find myself having to turn the highs down more than recommended; they seem pretty boosted on this amp making me wonder if this thing was modded in the past..

Well, it is a tube amp and I have only owned it for a short time. I have a Kustom quad 200 as a solid state backup so I am not worried. I am not rating this cat as I have not had the amp long enough.

never called.

I would buy this amp again (unless I had a lot of money to throw away on a Marshall DSL...but that's not happening anytime soon so...), but I would choose a vendor more carefully next time. I bought this through instrumentexchange.com, the clearing house online that guitar center uses, and some of those salesmen on instrument exchange, especially the guitar center guys are SHADY. Buyer beware!

I bought this because I couldn't afford a Marshall, and it sounds just as good. I chose this product because it was all tube, sounded good to me, and affordable. I generally do not like Crate, but this is a good piece of equipment.

I bought this amp at Guitar Center in early 2002, so could've been built in 2001 or earlier.

This amp really sucked for the 4 years I've had it. I just recently changed the tubes and re-biased the amp, and you wouldn't believe how awesome this amp sounds now. It doesn't even sound like a Crate anymore! When I first bought the amp, I had it biased 'Hot', which was a big mistake.

This is what I did to improve the amp's tone: From tubestore.com, I bought matching JJ 6L6GC power tubes for $70.00, 3 Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 pre-amp tubes for $8.95 each, and 1 GE JG-5751 pre-amp tube (used for toning down high gain guitar amps) for $19.95. I put this tube in the second pre-amp slot (recommended by a previous reviewer). Next, I took the amp to get it re-biased to spec (do not get it biased hot! This thing is already loaded with way too much gain).

I also changed the front 'Crate' insignia to the back as previous reviewers have done. I love it when someone comes up to me and asks "Dude, that amp sounds f***ing awesome! What is it?". They are in shock when I tell'em it's a Crate Blue Voodoo.

I use a DeArmond M-75 with Gibson '57 Classic Plus pickup for a clean, smooth, buttery, punk rock and rock n roll sound (Sex Pistols), and a Cort JTriggs design guitar with Dimarzio X2N pickup for a killer old school metal sound that's perfectly balanced (Kill'em All, Show No Mercy). I have 4 12" Celestion Vintage 30's in my cab and I keep the gain anywhere between 3 and 5 and it just rips! Unbelievable! My friends can't believe it. I can't believe it. No noise at all. No need to buy a Marshall or Mesa Boogie now. I've found a way to create tone on this baby that has been raised to the level of the big boys! FYI...Groove Tubes are not a tube manufacturer. It is a company that buys tubes from tube manufacturers and re-labels them. You don't know what your getting from Groove Tubes. Go to www.tubestore.com for more info on tubes.

I've never had a problem with it, so I give it a 10. I'd have no problem gigging with this baby, but it is heavy as fuck!

I asked them what the recommended bias setting was for this amp and they gave it to me. I think the warranty is for 5 years.

If you're into that Marshall JCM 800 sound, but looking for a cheaper alternative, buy this amp and do the mods I described above and you won't be dissapointed. Not only can it get that sound, but you can also get far greater distortion than a JCM by raising the gain to around 5. The gain on JCM's have got nothing on this, at least not the one's I've played through. The clean channel is OK, but I never really mess with it too much anyway.

If you're interested, you can go to my website at www.myspace.com/surfnazis

tight clean sound when needed with a soft fuzz over it for old school sound.Can go from deep bass to high treble.

Iplay a standard american strat through it w/mix match pickups.with overdrive i play nirvana which it produces a nice but not to muddy grunge sound whcih makes it sound cleaner but you can hear everything at least.when playing the blues through it i turn the bass up a little more and put thi mid at about 5 to produce a generic SRV sound that allows me to hear his sound yet my owntwist at the same time. versatile to recreate some one elses sound yet leave it different enough to be your own.

ive put this amp through many road trips not in a secure case and it has always played the same when i plug it in everytime.due to it being tube though i recomend a case anyway.

no costumer support yet

bad ass and i love it to the bone

2004 model. Wish it had a 4 ohm output. I set the gain at only 1 1/2 or so and when I want more for lead I kick a pedal. Works for me.

Read all the reviews for the BV120H, then go read the reviews for the Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100. They sound the same, the difference is the name on the outside. I own them both and the only reason the Marshall "sounds better" has to be the fact that it says Marshall on the front.
Of course it looks better to have a Marshall on stage but as far as the distortion sound it is so close a blindfold test would enbarrass a lot of folks. I have the settings (with stock tubes; after trying a myriad of different tubes)on the BV120H all up on the tone controls,
1 1/2 on the gain, straight up on the presence, all up on the reverb.
With a Fender USA Vintage Strat it makes the same sound as the DSL100,
period! If you try to say it isn't so, I know you are full of shite, I own them both, so I have a new respect for the poor dissed Blue Voodoo. It was there all the time, baby! If you need to be convinced, do a blind test, I dare you! I also happen to like the clean sound on either of these amps, the BV120H has more of a biting edge that cuts through, but the DSL100 has a longer reverb tank and does the twang a little better. Everyone is giving the DSL100 a "10" on the sound rating, ha, so I have to at least put in a 9 for something that sounds the same!!! On second thought, it should be a "10".
BTW, there was a past reviewer that did an AB with a DSL and came to the same result.

1 year and still going.

Don't know, been through St. Louis but never stopped. Waved but didn't see anything. It was at night though.

It's one of the most under rated amps on the market. I do not hesitate at all to recommend it. If you like the JCM 2000 DSL's, you will like this and be able to afford it. They are too close to call as far as sound. For the price the BV120H is a bargain, and that makes it a "10".
Head's up, don't buy a "modded" amp.

Made in 2005. Its the redesigned model. Pretty sure the guts are the same as the old Blue Voodoos just a new outside. I think it looks better then the old ones if that counts for anything. 4 12ax7s 4 6l6s (groove tubes). 2 channel EFX loop w/reverb. 100 watts, more then enough power for using with my band. Pretty basic tube amp. Bought mine new from Guitar Center about 2 months ago. I have been using Line 6s for a while and figured it was time to step up to real tube amp.

I have 2 guitars I use this amp with. One is a ESP Viper 400 with EMG 81s and the other is an Epi G400 with a Duncan '59/Dimebucker combo (both guitars are tuned to C with 54-12 stirngs). I play in a band that mixes Stoner Metal with Hardcore (think Hatebreed and Corrosion of Conformity thrown together) and it seems to hold its own tone wise. The amp does have some fuzz and static to it i run a boss NS-2 through the loop right now and it takes away most of it. I really like the Distortion on the amp and dont know why people knock it so much. Yes it does have a solid stateness to it but thats kinda what I dig about it. You cant expect to spend this much on an amp and get a Boogie tone out of it. All the guys out there in the "hardcore" scene are playing Dual Rectos or 5150s and im really sick of hearing about those 2 amps. Yeah they are cool and all but everyone plays them. I wanted a good tone that not every I know has, The Blue Voodoo gives it. I dont play clean that much but I can say its better then a clean on a 5150, Through EMGs the clean is brittle (but thats EMGS for you) but it gets alot better when I use my guitar with the Duncans. As for the distortion channel this amp is really love it or hate it. I dig the tone of the amp and bought it cause I knew it would mix well with the other elements of my band, and it does that very well, playing by yourself there is something to be desired but I have a practice amp already I needed something that was a good sounding tube Halfstack for around 1200 bucks and I found it in the Blue Voodoo. I think alot of people rate this amp low in the distorion catagory because of the guitars they use. This amp varies A LOT depending on what pickups you are using and how you EQ it for each guitar. My settings for my ESP and my Epi are totally different. One other thing I think makes this amp better is pitching the crappy Groove tubes. Im running Electro Harmonix 12ax7s in the preamp and JJ 6l6s in the power amp Really opens up the tone. Get good cables too, I use monsters in the loop, from my guitar, and from head to the cab (BV 4x12 with Celestions) and it cleans it up some. Too many people don't realize how important good cables are. I like this amp a lot end of story. I gave it a 7 because it isnt a Boogie or ENGL or Dieziel or whatever. Those amps caost alot more then this one and you get what you pay for. But I think this amp has the best tone out of all the other amps in its price range (I think it stomps my friend's 5150)

When the world is destroyed in a hail storm of Nuclear bombs 3 things will be left: Cockroaches, Cher, and Crate Amplifiers. Ive seen horrific things happen to these amps along with Crates in general and they keep running. Its a tube amps and you never know with them but id trust it for as much as I play out

Ive been playing for about 7 years. Ive owned: Line 6 spider combo, Line 6 Flex 3 combo, Marshall Valvestate II head with 1960a cab. As you can tell the Blue Voodoo is the best amp Ive owned. However I have played 5150s and Boogies for periods of time. I needed a real tube amp and like I said before This was the best half stack in my price range. With some simple upgrades I have a great sounding, durable amp that will last me till I wanna get rid of it (which may be never). It works well with my band, Great distortion tone with out distortion pedals (HATE THEM).This amp might not have the best tone Ive ever heard but its better then every pedal Ive ever heard. Max from Soulfly uses them, Billy from Biohazard uses them, and I think the guy from Cannible Corpse uses them, while not huge fans of any of those bands I think their guitar tones are pretty cool. I have used this amp in standard tuning and I wasnt really impressed. I think it is suited better for low tuned metal (C and B). When im out of college maybe Ill buy a better amp but until then this will keep me more then happy.

The Blue Blue Voodoo, new in 2004. Has all the features I need.
I just need someone to carry it for me.

I have owned it since Sept , 04. I used it for about 3 months, then went to a few other amps that aren't so heavy to move around. Recently I thought I would try my "new", "kicks serious ass" made from three guitars, Parts/Peavey/EPS/Strat with 22.5 ohm humbucks and I could not get a decent sound at all out of this amp, all super static! This guitar sounds awsome in every other amp I have except the Crates!
Then it occurred to me to try a weak vintage pickup style guitar and voila! There was the sound I thought it had when I first got the amp.
Vintage Strats are around 6.0 ohms or so. I think WEAK pickups are the KEY to getting rid of the STATIC distortion on ALL Crate amps! Even when I turned the gain all the way up it still sounded very good with no buzz/static. I can sustain a note endlessly up there.
I can see a definite use for this amp again in the future.
I'm going to install some Mighty Mites (alnicos 5.2 ohms) in another MIM Strat that has Mexican ceramics in it now and see if that sounds even better. You've gotta try this, man, THE WEAKER PICKUPS THE BETTER FOR THIS AMP, no bull! BTW, I am using the tubes the amp came with, Groove Tubes. (For the record, I also have a Marshall Plexi, DSL 50, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe to compare sounds with. The Plexi is sweeeeet!)
With a weak pickup this BV120H amp is a new sound altogether, I think it would make a great surfin' or SRV amp. The way to get there is the opposite of what I would normally do, but it works, IT WORKS!
(I also flipped the amp around in the box like the previous reviewer,
just take the amp out from the back, turn it around (leave the screen alone)put the amp back in, then put the wood cover back on which is now the front, no drilling no nothin'.)
I want to be able to use this BV120H amp because I sure do not want to drag my Plexi around to stinking gigs. I believe I have found the key to making it [BV120H] work and now I don't have to kick myself for having bought it. Familiar?

No problems so far.

Heard they are good but no experience with them.

I'd like to give it a higher rating but man it is hard to get sounds that are usable compared to the standards in the industry. It shouldn't have to be so darn different than the rest.
I have a lot of gear and I like to use the best sounding yet most
expendable equipment for travelling jobs. So I never give up trying to find a way to make the cheap stuff sound good. Weak single coil alnico
pickups 6 ohms and less really make this amp usable again, thank God.
Before you give yours away try it again with the Fender vintage single coils, you might like it.

My amp is about a 2002. 2 Channels w/ an effects loop.
I would love it if it had a lead channel.

I have changed the preamp tubes to 12AX7C?s and re-biased the amp for Ruby Tubes El-34?s in the power section. This much improved the amp?s midrange capability and harsh buzzy distortion that came from the stock 12AX7R?s and 6L6?s. I am quite pleased with the sound that it produces. I think that people that do not like the sound of this amp don?t take the tonal characteristics of the tubes that they use into consideration. It makes a big difference! I personally didn?t like the sound of the amp w/ 6L6?s, but now it fits my tastes.

Have not had a single problem w/ Crate.

Never needed customer support.

I?ve played guitar for about 7 years. I play a cheap Ibanez w/ stock humbuckers. The review I gave of the sound quality of the amp was w/o any effects through the Blue Voodoo Cab with Vintage 30?s. For those who are interested, I usually run a Rocktron Big Crush Compressor, Boss GE-7 Eq, and a Boss NS-2 to the amp and another Rackmount Compressor/Gate in the effects loop. (Other pedals include Boss PH-2, MXR Phase 90, Ibanez TS-9, Danelectro Daddy-O, Ibanez DE-7 Delay.) I also plan on changing out two of the speakers to G12T-75?s and opening up the back of the cab on Vintage 30?s side (this should give more bass on one side and more clarity on the other). I will also change out my humbuckers, but not sure to what yet.
Overall, I would say that this is a nice sounding and inexpensive amp. True, I don?t think it sounds like a Marshall or a Boogie, but it has a distinctive sound of its own. As one reviewer said, ?it sounds good to me.? Don?t listen to the bad reviews, just try one out for yourself, and remember that tube types make a big difference.

You have read all the features before so I'll just bypass this category

I've used a Strat, Les Paul, Parker Mojo, Tele, Gretsch, and a Guild Brian May. The clean channel is bright, clean and crisp but lacks the warmth of a Fender twin or Deluxe. I rolled the PRESENCE control off and it lost that ice pick in the ear brittle sound. If this was all the amp did it would be cool. Put some pedals in front and you got all you want in a clean amp. However, the drive channel sucks bildge water! The annoying "bumble bee in a tin can" distortion. It did improve a little when I put in Sovtek 12AX7WA's in the gain stages but it still is way too buzzy. OBTW I used the Crate 4x12 that originally came with the amp.

So far so good. SLM has built a tank.

I called to get some tech advice when changing the preamp tubes from SLM and got right through. The tech support was great. I wish this category had a higher rating than 10. I am VERY impressed.

I got this from a guy who said, "I'll never use it again. You want it?" Not being one to look a gift amp in the speaker I gladly accepted his kind and generous offer. The amp is pedal friendly and is quite usable as long as you don't turn on the distortion side. This head books out at around $500.00. I wouldn't even consider paying half that much. Overall this is probably the worst sounding half stack I ever played.

this amp has all you need for most giging guitarists,good clean and good distortion no matter what style you play and the power is all you need for large or smaller venues

i play just about anything,blues,rock,some country,new rock,punk,i use two custom strats i had built with a dimarzio vitural vintage single coil in the neck and a 80s dimarzio super distortion in the bridge as well as a les paul and many other guitars from semi hollow body to two vintage strats a 65 and 58, and a tele as well, this amp does not make alot of noise or static,the distortion can go from nice breakup to shred just what i need

been giging with it fro awhile and no problems

never needed them

i have been playing guitar for over 30 years, i have vintage marshall and fender amps as well as some others ,silvertone,valco,ampeg and not to be a snob but i can buy any amp i want pretty much but there lies the problem,vintage fenders and marshalls are freakin gone nuts on the prices and the newer stuff is not any better in price and does NOT sound as good..sorry !! ,i have had mine for many years and paid way lees than what they go for now and to be honest would have never even thought of owning anything from crate,my thought was crate was crap !! until i played the blue voodo 120, i had a marshall jcm 2000 at 800.00 and it sounded no differant than the blue voodo and the voodo has way better clean tones,the distortions are the same !! i got the voodo in a partial trade and could not belive how it sounded so i sold the marshall for 800.00 and have been using the voodo ever since for about 250.00 in trade value, i dont use my marshalls or fender amps for giging anymore i dont have to the voodo does a great job and i dont have to worry about nicks and scuffs and beer and drunks misty wheather etc..etc..get one trust me !!

the mirror grill business is silly. here is a tip. turn the chassis around back to front in its case and it looks just like a 1960's marshall. the metal grill will now be in back and the control knobs will stick out under the blue tolex panel that used to be the back panel. everything fits fine. it was probably designed that way in the first place before someone got the mirror inspiration.

sounds just like a 1960's marshall.

the circuit board on this amp is pretty thin, the traces are too. the power tubes are on a separate board connected by rigid pins, not wires. one of the pins stopped making contact and 2 of the tubes stopped working. i would worry about transporting this amp.

has an 800 number but i fixed it myself over the weekend.

a good cheap substitute for a vintage marshall, but tour with 2 or more --you will need backup.